Senators urging Trump to pursue justice for hostages’ deaths

March 5, 2018

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire’s U.S. senators are urging President Donald Trump to take steps to ensure that two recently captured Islamic State group members are brought to justice for the deaths of four Americans.

U.S. officials have interrogated the men, who were part of the group called “The Beatles” that captured, tortured and beheaded more than two dozen hostages, including journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff; and aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller.

The two men, El Shafee El-sheikh and Alexanda Amon Kotey, are alleged to have been intimately involved in the imprisonment, torture and murder in the deaths.

Democrats Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, as well as U.S. Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, of Florida, wrote to Trump on Monday supporting the family members’ request that the two be tried in a fair and open legal system in the United States or in a court of international justice.